Human Waste Project - E-Lux review

Human Waste Project

E-Lux

KKKK

Love them or hate them, you can't deny that Ginger, Posh,
Scary, Sporty and Baby have done more to put the feminist
agenda at the forefront of public consciousness than Germaine
Greer or any of her lubricated peers. 'Girl Power' is here
to stay, and thankfully rock music, traditionally rock music,
traditionally sexism's best-guarded bastion, is for once up
to speed.

Only 10 years ago, every record company had its own bunch of
Barbie Dolls peddling soft metal balladry and soft porn
imagery. The message was clear: the only place for 'chicks'
in rock was on their knees, draining as many love pumps as
possible.

These days, thanks to grunge's enlightened views on gender
politics and cool icons like Courtney Love and Sonic Youth's
Kim Gordon, all this has changed. In 1998, we have women like
Tarrie B and Coal Chamber's Rayna - strong, opinionated female
musicians who're making waves on their terms. And Human Waste
Project's Aimee Echo is set to be 1998's coolest female newcomer.

Ms Echo is HWPs gutsy voice and thumping heart. Within 60
seconds of opening her mouth on 'Disease', she's wailing 'I'm
just a girl, without apology', followed swiftly by the advice
'so fuck off'. You instantly know that she's not to be trifled
with.

For many of the Project's songs, Echo muses upon broken, bitter
and hateful relationships, picking at loves bleeding, bruised
heart and emerging older, wiser, hopeful and defiant. Vocally
and lyrically, she resembles her hero, PJ Harvey: both women
dissect relationships, male-female mind games and gender divisions
with intelligence and no small amount of venom.

HWP songs are divided into four categories - the short, sour
rockers ('Hold me Down', 'Powerstrip'), the shimmering atmospheric
ballads ('Electra', 'Interlude'), the Deftonesesque builders ('Exit
Wound', 'Shine') and the pure pop songs cunningly disguised with
distorted, insistent riffs ('Slide'). They're more eclectic than
most of their LA peers, for which much credit must be given to Mike
Tempesta's varied guitar playing, which encompasses everything from
brittle scratching to swaggering grooves.

First single 'Powerstrip' is an obvious highlight, Echo screeching
'you think you're so fucking right', as her graphic accounts of
violence are torn apart by chunky repetetive riffing. 'Hold Me Down'
is simple and effective, its S&M overtones accentuated by Jeff
Schartoff's dirty bass groove. 'Exit Wound' is the flipside of
this confident crunch - Echo sounds vulnerable as she trawls through
a doomed love affair with the admission 'I would have given it all
to you'. No one ever said it was going to be easy.

HWP's effectiveness lies in their ability to deftly switch styles,
tempos and moods, and this coupled with Echo's charisma makes them
one of the hottest prospects around, as well as another fine
addition to LA's new metal breed. 1998 might just be their year.

Cover artwork for the LP: A typical American family, complete with
dog, gazing towards the night sky.

Subject matter for LP: The emotional rollercoaster brought about
by relationships.

Next move: Given the ecstatic reception the 'Project received while
supporting both Tura Satana and Coal Chamber at the tail end of '97,
we can expect to see Echo and the boys returning to play headline
dates in the UK by Spring.